****OFFICIAL August, 2012 (PART 2)****

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I see a few of you are offering car rental help? Let me know if you can help me! We get into Orlando 8/24 at noon and depart 9/3, 10am flight. If we can get a good rate for that whole time, just help with a week in that time period would be great. Let me know, thanks!

What size of a car do you need?

A compact car through Alamo (with an Insiders membership....which is free....and a $35 coupon code) is $156.21 including taxes and fees. That also includes a free additional driver (an Insiders perk).

Dollar's cost for the same car is $184.62 taxes/fees included with their city special.

Would a compact work, or do you need something larger?

Those prices are from your arrival to your departure, with pick up and drop off at MCO.

 

[Houston86]

Well I was going to do a PTR however I am now looking at a relocation while I am getting ready for vacation. We were wanting to relocate and we put some resumes in end of spring and early summer. We had not heard anything until yesterday. I am now going to have to drive to southeast KY tomorrow and sit in trainings on my 2 days off drive back home to Indiana work the next 5 days and then pack for vacation and for me to live in Ky without my family for the next 60 days. I can not imagine us parting ways on the way home. This bites!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[4Joyces]

So in addition to me getting to meet an online friend in person in WDW, I just got a text from DS that his BFF from elementary school is going to be at WDW at the same time as us! His friend moved, so they haven't gone to school together for 3 years, but they still get together often enough that I'd still call them good friends. This is going to be so great for both of them because they both are much older than their younger siblings, so I'm hoping the 2 boys will have some time to go exploring on their own! I need to call the friend's mom tonight and see if we can work something out!

Oh, and I'm going to smack my DH. When we first started talking about going to WDW, he wanted to "keep it simple" (ha!) and just do WDW and stay on property. Fine, I could live with that, even though I'm more a rent a condo and do it all kind of Orlando tripper. So now we're 10 days away from the trip and I keep getting calls from him... "how far will we be from the beach?" "so-and-so said we should try to get to Seaworld while we're there" "how much is it for Universal".

Um. HELLO!! We leave in 10 days. The trip is planned. The disney buses will not take us to Universal, Seaworld, or the beach! He's stressing me out!

ETA: I'm starting to get a complex that all this obsessive planning isn't "normal". Between my friend staying at the "something" lodge and spending 3 days at "magical kingdom" and my DH thinking we can just pop over to the beach and Universal at the last minute, and now DS's friend's mom said that they don't know where they'll be on what day and aren't even sure what days they'll be in Orlando because they're doing the beach, too, and planning to just stay in hotels wherever they end up on each day. I told her we'd be staying onsite at WDW and she goes "is that in Orlando?" Wow. So I'm still holding out hope that the boys can get together at some point. And I'm also questioning my sanity for the number of hours I've put into planning this trip!

 

[litlpixie]

So in addition to me getting to meet an online friend in person in WDW, I just got a text from DS that his BFF from elementary school is going to be at WDW at the same time as us! His friend moved, so they haven't gone to school together for 3 years, but they still get together often enough that I'd still call them good friends. This is going to be so great for both of them because they both are much older than their younger siblings, so I'm hoping the 2 boys will have some time to go exploring on their own! I need to call the friend's mom tonight and see if we can work something out!

Oh, and I'm going to smack my DH. When we first started talking about going to WDW, he wanted to "keep it simple" (ha!) and just do WDW and stay on property. Fine, I could live with that, even though I'm more a rent a condo and do it all kind of Orlando tripper. So now we're 10 days away from the trip and I keep getting calls from him... "how far will we be from the beach?" "so-and-so said we should try to get to Seaworld while we're there" "how much is it for Universal".


Um. HELLO!! We leave in 10 days. The trip is planned. The disney buses will not take us to Universal, Seaworld, or the beach! He's stressing me out!

First off, good to hear your son can hook up w/ his buddy. My DD has a friend who lives near Lauderdale thats going to meet us for one of our park days and shes super excited about that! As for your DH, tell him to get w the program and stop acting like a noob!! lol, like my mother who said to to me the other day "Have fun at Harry Potter land" um...mother, not only are we not going there but its not even called that!!! she cracks me up, that wacko!!

 

[PrincessatheartMN]

This is our new family portrait just got taken at Sears Studio this morning.
We chose to wear our Disney shirts this year. 12 more days!

 

[netnurse31]

Online check in done!!!

 

[netnurse31]

Us too!! Wahooooooo!!

 

[PoohsFan1]

We "cleaned" out the fridge last night. Everyone had leftovers or had to make their own last night. Our fridge is on the bare minimum right now. Tonight (DH is golfing) I'll pick up the kids something and I'll make myself something quick. Tomorrow, my mom is having us over.

That is funny that you say that. I have practically nothing in my pantry, fridge, or freezer to make for dinner tonight so the solution is going to be ordering a pizza . However, since I get paid tomorrow, I will be doing some shopping for the remainder of the days we have left before we leave, but it will be super easy meals (frozen pizzas, spaghetti, sloppy joes, hot dogs, etc). I want to make sure they will be things that will be easy to reheat for when it is time for our "left over/clean out the fridge" night. Then come our night before we leave I already said I am NOT making dinner so we will either order out, go out, or bring something in . It's so bad that not only am I counting down to our trip but I am also counting down to when I don't have to cook meals for more then a week .

 

[netnurse31]

Tell me about it!!!! . At least we have a good thing to look forward to....we can do online check-in on Saturday (if you are doing online check-in that is ).

O.K. how sad am I....yesterday I decided to go through my fridge and throw away things that have been expired and stuff that looked like a science experiment gone wrong . After I cleared all of that out, I then decided to go ahead and wash the entire fridge. So I had both of my DDs help me clear everything out and carefully pull out all of the shelves while I washed them. My fridge now looks so bare and crystal clean. For some reason I am doing these kinds of things around the house rather than packing for my trip . Maybe when we take down all of the suitcases this weekend, that will motivate me more.

You are doing better than me, at least you are cleaning! LOL! I have a suitcase parked outside my bedroom with nothing in it. Keep telling myself I have plenty of time. I will have 4 days off from work before we leave so I will most likely leave packing until then. Disney packing is easy for us, especially when going the last week in August. All we ever take are shorts, t-shirts and flip flops with one sweatshirt and a pair of pants thrown in for each of us.

I'm still debating about doing online check-in. Last year we did do it and I sent a request to CBR 4 days before we left via fax. I did get everything I requested. I'm not sure why I'm debating this trip. I'll probably end up doing it in the end because the ability to do it will haunt me. LoL

 

[netnurse31]

OK my friends.......by popular demand it's the Disney bag rain poncho.......(ignore how I look, focus on the poncho.)

Love it!

 

[netnurse31]

Leaving tomorrow! It literally took me ALL day yesterday to pack. I can't just pick shorts, pick shirts and put them in my suitcase. No. I have to pull out all the potential shorts, all the potential shirts, match a shirt with shorts, try them on to make sure they fit and look good, of course....THEN I have to match the outfit with the park and make sure I don't wear two similar colored shirts two days in a row, etc, etc.... It's quite the process!

Then on top of that, I was super excited about my new, smaller Vera bag. Usually I carry the hipster but I felt it was a bit too big. Well the new bag that I was so excited about is WAY too small. I tried to fit everything in but it's really flat and it just wouldn't work. So instead of the old tried and true hipster, I busted out a new hipster I bought a few years ago but just never used. It's a new style from my old hipster and actually turned out to be a bit bigger.....so there goes that. All that took about an hour and a half to work out.

I couldn't sleep last night because I was so worked up and I'm certainly not going to be able to sleep tonight so hopefully I can make it through the day at the MK tomorrow! Phones and cameras are currently charging. Not sure what I'm going to do with myself for the rest of the day today. I need to go take a walk or something!

I usually search YouTube for WDW videos the night before we leave. There is no other way for me to deal with my excitement except getting more excited. LOL!

Have a great time. I'm sure the adrenaline will kick in and you'll be fine!

13 more days for us. The waiting is killing me!!!

 

[netnurse31]

Well I was going to do a PTR however I am now looking at a relocation while I am getting ready for vacation. We were wanting to relocate and we put some resumes in end of spring and early summer. We had not heard anything until yesterday. I am now going to have to drive to southeast KY tomorrow and sit in trainings on my 2 days off drive back home to Indiana work the next 5 days and then pack for vacation and for me to live in Ky without my family for the next 60 days. I can not imagine us parting ways on the way home. This bites!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

That's too bad. At least you will have the time together while you are away. Hope the 60 days fly by so you and your family are together again!

 

[netnurse31]

So in addition to me getting to meet an online friend in person in WDW, I just got a text from DS that his BFF from elementary school is going to be at WDW at the same time as us! His friend moved, so they haven't gone to school together for 3 years, but they still get together often enough that I'd still call them good friends. This is going to be so great for both of them because they both are much older than their younger siblings, so I'm hoping the 2 boys will have some time to go exploring on their own! I need to call the friend's mom tonight and see if we can work something out!

Oh, and I'm going to smack my DH. When we first started talking about going to WDW, he wanted to "keep it simple" (ha!) and just do WDW and stay on property. Fine, I could live with that, even though I'm more a rent a condo and do it all kind of Orlando tripper. So now we're 10 days away from the trip and I keep getting calls from him... "how far will we be from the beach?" "so-and-so said we should try to get to Seaworld while we're there" "how much is it for Universal".

Um. HELLO!! We leave in 10 days. The trip is planned. The disney buses will not take us to Universal, Seaworld, or the beach! He's stressing me out!

ETA: I'm starting to get a complex that all this obsessive planning isn't "normal". Between my friend staying at the "something" lodge and spending 3 days at "magical kingdom" and my DH thinking we can just pop over to the beach and Universal at the last minute, and now DS's friend's mom said that they don't know where they'll be on what day and aren't even sure what days they'll be in Orlando because they're doing the beach, too, and planning to just stay in hotels wherever they end up on each day. I told her we'd be staying onsite at WDW and she goes "is that in Orlando?" Wow. So I'm still holding out hope that the boys can get together at some point. And I'm also questioning my sanity for the number of hours I've put into planning this trip!

LOL, I used to question my sanity too. In fact, my co- workers still do! Fact is, I couldn't and wouldn't want to be any other way. To me, planning and anticipating the trip is half the fun. I consider it part of my vacation. So, that gives me one up on everyone who thinks I'm nuts. I bet they don't have 180 day vacations lol.

There are those who do Disney by the seat of their pants and then there is "us", those of us on the DIS. I kinda like "us"

 

[netnurse31]

This is our new family portrait just got taken at Sears Studio this morning.
We chose to wear our Disney shirts this year. 12 more days!

What a beautiful family! I love it!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

This is our new family portrait just got taken at Sears Studio this morning.
We chose to wear our Disney shirts this year. 12 more days!

Love it ! What a gorgeous family you have .

We are having our family photos taken at Studio One to One at the Florida Mall while we're in Orlando. Hoping they turn out well.....we haven't had professional pics done since we did the Disney photo shoot on our 2009 trip.

 

[dontthrowsand]

Plane leaves in 3 days! So very excited!!

 

[LifeIsDis]

Waiting for MSEP right now. It is PACKED here in MK.

 

[Whereisalyssa]

ahhh!!!! my brothers best friend and his family will be at the world the same week we are so naturally we want to meet up! only problem is, the only time that will work is if we find an ADR to whispering canyon on the 26th at 6:30ish (because that is when they will be there)!

I guess I'll be on the hunt for the next few days!!

 

[cinnderly]

Are you a member of Costco? I'm seeing 239 for a full sized car for those dates, that includes all taxes and fees.

I'm actually not. I realized awhile ago I was paying for a membership there just to buy large quantities of toilet paper and paper towels, so I didn't renew. It's just me and my son here, so no need for mass quantities of stuff. Thanks for the help, though!

Not sure what type of car you looking for. Hotwire has a full size for $14/day for a total of $231.40, economy for $12/day for a total of $208.02. Pickup location is right at the airport.

Priceline seems to be a bit pricier right now.

I'm just looking for the cheapest deal. Full size isn't necessary. When I've looked on Hotwire before I've found good deals, but then the taxes and fees are astronomical. I'll check again based on your recommendation. Thanks!

What size of a car do you need?

A compact car through Alamo (with an Insiders membership....which is free....and a $35 coupon code) is $156.21 including taxes and fees. That also includes a free additional driver (an Insiders perk).

Dollar's cost for the same car is $184.62 taxes/fees included with their city special.

Would a compact work, or do you need something larger?

Those prices are from your arrival to your departure, with pick up and drop off at MCO.

I will take whatever size car is the cheapest! Alamo sounds great, I will check right now. Thanks so much!

 

[GrumpyBelle]

UUUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!! We leave in 5 days and I broke my toe earlier today.